On Wednesday, the shooter that killed 11 people in the October 2018 attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was recommended by the jury to receive the death penalty.
Thursday, the judge will impose the death sentence as the victim’s families give final responses to the court.
The gunman opened fire on three congregations holding services within the synagogue in 2018, only surrendering when he ran out of bullets, which resulted in 11 deaths.
In June, Robert Bowers was found guilty of 63 counts, including hate crimes and obstructing the free exercise of religion, per the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Hate crimes like this one inflict irreparable pain on individual victims and their loved ones and lead entire communities to question their very belonging,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in a statement. “All Americans deserve to live free from the fear of hate-fueled violence and the Justice Department will hold accountable those who perpetrate such acts.”
The fact that he was found guilty of committing hate crimes ultimately made him eligible for the death penalty, which the jury unanimously voted for earlier this week.
Jurors found that his planning was calculated to “maximize the devastation, amplify the harm of his crimes, and instill fear within the local, national, and international Jewish communities,” reported The Associated Press. He had told his psychiatrist that he thought the trial proceedings would help spread his antisemitic message.
Bowers’ defense attorney argued that he committed the crime because of mental illness, which was disputed by the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, per The New York Times.
As the judge declared the jurors’ decision, Bowers showed little to no reaction as he was led from the courtroom, per AP.
Several of the victims’ families said they felt “a weight had been lifted” upon hearing the verdict, as Leigh Stein, whose father, Dan Stein, was killed in the attack, told the Times.
“Finally, justice has been served,” she said.
Following his formal sentencing, the Times reported that Bowers will likely spend years if not longer on death row as his case flows through the system.